The First Time I saw You
by catdammerj
Summary: Peeta's POV on the converstation he and Katniss had, over the first time he saw you. Starts right at the beginning, and ends when the food arrives from Haymitch. Hope you like it!


**_Okay, so I decided to take a little break from my good old friends, Rose, Dimitri, Lissa, and Adrian, and write a Hunger Games fanfic instead. I wasn't feeling extremely creative (my grandma's dying of cancer right now and is in a coma.) But I watned to write something, so here's Peeta's perspective of the conversation with Katniss, where he talks about when he first saw her. I hope you like it!_**

**_As always, I own nothing._**

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I stared at Katniss, as she stared into the pouring rain. For days, the Gamemakers had caused torrents of water to come down from the sky. She had promised to find me a nice tree but that wasn't going to happen until it dried up, which wasn't happening in the immediate future.. Suddenly, she turned to me.

"Petta, you said at the interview you'd had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?" She asked, a thoughtful look in her eyes and tone. I sighed; oh well, I'd known this day was coming. Ever since I'd confessed in my interview that I had a crush on her, I'd known it was coming. Even though it wasn't just a crush. I was completely in love with her. She was beautiful, strong, and the bravest person I knew. But she was waiting for a response, so I answered.

"Oh, let's see. I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair…" I paused remembering. "It was in two braids instead of one." At that point, I gently tugged at the single braid behind her head, brushing her shoulder. I was so happy just to be able to talk with her, that I would have answered any questions she asked. "My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up."

"You're father? Why?"

"He said, 'See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner.'" I remembered thinking that if her mother had been anywhere near as pretty as Katniss, then it was no wonder my father wanted to marry her. But I was glad he hadn't. I was glad Katniss wasn't my sister, or else the feelings I had for her wouldn't be possible.

"What? You're making this up!" Katniss was obviously surprised, given the fact that she hadn't noticed me until the games.

"No, true story. And I said, "A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could've had you?' And he said, "Because when he sings…even the birds stop to listen." He wasn't the only one in the family with a voice like an angel.

"That's true. They do. I mean, they did." I noticed that she used the present tense before realizing that it was the past. For anyone who really watched her, it was easy to see that she still wasn't over the loss of her father. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose someone you loved so dearly. But in reality, I could lose Katniss to these Games.

"So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. You hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent," I said. I remembered the sound of her voice clearly ringing as she sang the words.

_In a little valley_

_In between two streams_

_There's a little bird,_

_And so it seems_

_That every day,_

_that little bird_

_Can be singing, its song always heard_

That was all I remembered of it.

"Oh please," she responded, obviously not believing me. She didn't think I could have noticed her. What she didn't realize is that everyone did.

"No, it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew—just like your mother – I was a goner. Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you." The closest I'd ever come was giving her the bread, and that had been such a small gesture, at least I thought it had been. For Katniss, it was different. And I had been a goner for Katniss. Every time I saw her in the streets, or at school, I almost felt like me heart would explode. There had been no hope.

"Without success," she added, almost reading my thoughts.

"Without success. So in a way, my name being drawn in the reaping was a real piece of luck." At least I'd gotten to talk to Katniss before I die. That made me happy.

Pausing, Katniss said, "You have a…remarkable memory."

I reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I remember everything about you. You're the one who wasn't paying attention." I had done enough for both of us.

"I am now," she said, and my heart almost burst in that moment.

"Well, I don't have much competition here." All boys looked at Katniss. They all lusted after her for her beauty. I was the only one that saw beyond the surface.

"You don't have much completion anywhere," she said, and leaned in towards me. I quickly close the remaining distance. When our lips met, my heart nearly exploded. Then, my already strained heart nearly stopped as a thud sounds outside. It was nice while it lasted. Katniss loaded her bow up instantly, but it was me who peered outside, and I gave a whoop. A basket of food has landed outside our cave. I dash out into the rain, for once ignoring Katniss, as she calls for me to come back. I tear the basket open, to find fresh rolls, goat cheese, apples, and a tureen of lamb stew on wild rice. My mouth watered as I brought it back in.

"I guess Haymitch finally got tired of watching us starve."

"I guess so," Katniss answers. I look at her questioningly as she unpacks everything. I almost get the feeling I'm on the outside of an inside joke, or some other private communication. But those thoughts exit my head, as the mouthwatering smell of the food engulfed my senses.


End file.
